Acetaria: A Discourse of Sallets eBook

Farther Directions concerning the proper Seasons
for the Gathering, Composing, and Dressing
of a Sallet.

And First, as to the Season both Plants
and Roots are then properly to be Gather’d,
and in prime, when most they abound with Juice and
in Vigour: Some in the Spring, or a little
anticipating it before they Blossom, or are in full
Flower: Some in the Autumnal Months; which
later Season many prefer, the Sap of the Herb, tho’
not in such exuberance, yet as being then better concocted,
and so render’d fit for Salleting, ’till
the Spring begins a fresh to put forth new, and tender
Shoots and Leaves.

This, indeed, as to the Root, newly taken out
of the Ground is true; and therefore should such have
their Germination stopt the sooner: The
approaching and prevailing Cold, both Maturing and
Impregnating them; as does Heat the contrary, which
now would but exhaust them: But for those other
Esculents and Herbs imploy’d in our Composition
of Sallets, the early Spring, and ensuing
Months (till they begin to mount, and prepare to Seed)
is certainly the most natural, and kindly Season to
collect and accommodate them for the Table. Let
none then consult Culpeper, or the Figure-flingers,
to inform them when the governing Planet is
in its Exaltation; but look upon the Plants
themselves, and judge of their Vertues by their own
Complexions.

Moreover, in Gathering, Respect is to be had
to their Proportions, as provided for in the Table
under that Head, be the Quality whatsoever: For
tho’ there is indeed nothing more wholsome than
Lettuce and Mustard for the Head
and Eyes; yet either of them eaten in excess,
were highly prejudicial to them both: Too much
of the first extreamly debilitating and weakning
the Ventricle, and hastning the further decay
of sickly Teeth; and of the second the
Optic Nerves, and Sight it self; the
like may be said of all the rest. I conceive
therefore, a Prudent Person, well acquainted with the
Nature and Properties of Sallet-Herbs, &c. to
be both the fittest Gatherer and Composer
too; which yet will require no great Cunning, after
once he is acquainted with our Table and Catalogue.

We purposely, and in transitu only, take notice
here of the Pickl’d, Muriated, or otherwise
prepared Herbs; excepting some such Plants, and Proportions
of them, as are of hard digestion, and not fit to be
eaten altogether Crude, (of which in the Appendix)
and among which I reckon Ash-keys, Broom-buds
and Pods, Haricos, Gurkems, Olives,
Capers, the Buds and Seeds of Nasturtia,
Young Wall-nuts, Pine-apples, Eringo,
Cherries, Cornelians, Berberries,